The Snoop 8.23.2012

MoDOT sends out a weekly summary on the progress of the Route 60/65 project in south Springfield, and as I was looking at that report this week I realized that the major part of that job is done.
They will be working there for several more weeks, grading, seeding, cleaning up, and taking care of off-road projects. But for the most part, when they get the bridges over the railroad tracks and across Lake Springfield done, it looks like the major roadwork will be completed.
When it was first announced that the project would be completed in October 2012 that seemed far in the future. But that time is almost here and I believe they will make it.
Work scheduled for the coming week includes:
• Pouring concrete to build the bridge deck on eastbound U.S. 60 bridge over railroad tracks west of U.S. 65
• Grading and pouring concrete for driving lanes adjacent to the new westbound U.S. 60 bridge over Lake Springfield east of U.S. 65
• Grading in U.S. 65 median north of U.S. 60 for future six-lane project
• Completing demolition of old northbound U.S. 65 bridge over U.S. 60
• Paving Ozark Greenway trails in areas
• Grading slopes and spreading grass seed and mulch in various locations
• Cleaning up construction debris in various locations
In the project summary, look at all the stuff marked “completed”:
• Build new “flyover” ramps for eastbound U.S. 60-to-northbound U.S. 65 and northbound U.S. 65-to-westbound U.S. 60 – completed
• Replace northbound U.S. 65 bridge over U.S. 60 – completed
• Widen and rehabilitate eastbound U.S. 60 bridge over Lake Springfield – completed
• Build new bridges on U.S. 60 over railroad tracks – westbound U.S. 60 bridge completed
• Replace westbound U.S. 60 bridge over Lake Springfield
• Rehabilitate the southbound U.S. 65 bridge over U.S. 60 – completed
• Install new highway lighting and storm drains.
* * *
I think we’re beginning to see where this Todd Akin thing is going. Someone who heard his interview last weekend jumped on his choice of words and took it as an opportunity to destroy him. Remember Dan Quayle? His political career was ruined by a potato(e). In the vicious mix of politics and the media, it doesn’t take much.
Rape is a heinous crime — one of the most dastardly, evil and cruel offenses one can experience because of the lasting effect. I knew what Akin meant. By saying “legitimate” rape, he was not saying that some attacks are justified, he was simply implying that not all reported cases are valid. But the abortion rights people took his comment and are riding off into the sunset with it.
I’m not so much disturbed by the reaction of Democrats and the liberal media; we expect them to oppose anything said by a conservative, especially if he also professes Christianity. But I am disturbed by the Republicans who want to throw Akin to the dogs for the sake of protecting themselves.
Analyze this: Akin won the Republican nomination with 36 percent of the vote in the Republican Primary. He wasn’t supposed to win. It’s my theory he was not the candidate of choice of the Republican hierarchy (although he did win the election) so they want to kick him out and run the “legitimate” candidate — oh, there’s that word again.
Now let’s get one thing straight. I’m still a Republican. I don’t know if Todd Akin is the best candidate for U.S. Senate, but he was elected by the people over seven other candidates. He apologized for his statement that was taken out of context and offended some. I think Republicans should get behind him and support him in his race for the Senate.